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global dinner party

Hosts Waris Ahluwalia and Chiara Clemente pair his Indian table settings and her Italian menu for a casual yet totally memorable dinner party that can be easily translated anywhere.

October 2007

SET THE SCENE: Visit your local Indian or hobby store for affordable decorations like beads to drape over the backs of folding chairs.

"A dinner party is like a story where you take guests on a journey. I try to create fantasy spaces, like making a tent in your room as a kid," says Waris, the India-born, NYC-raised designer behind the House of Waris jewelry collection.

"In Italy, a meal is about enjoying everything. It's never just for eating. You spend time getting through the courses, and each one leads to the next," says Chiara, whose early childhood in Rome and India formed her tastes before she moved to Manhattan.

This classic Italian feast is easy to prepare, and most of the recipes are Clemente family favorites. For dessert, Chiara says Ciao Bella gelato is the closest to real Italian ice cream she's found—she recommends the fresh mint chocolate chip with whipped cream on top.